California, Say No to New Vet Tax!
Last month, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger proposed creating new taxes on certain servicesâ€"including a sales tax of about nine percent on veterinary servicesâ€"in order to reduce the state’s budget deficit. The ASPCA believes this action is ill-advised and will have a negative impact on the health and welfare of California’s pets.
During this economic downturn, animal owners are already being forced to make tough choices. California’s animal shelters are at capacity, but the number of homeless pets continues to rise as people lose their homes to foreclosure and unemployment rates climb. A tax on veterinary services will lead to a decline in routine wellness visits and an increase in pet abandonment. Ultimately, more pets will be euthanized, while others won’t get the medical care they may need.
Taxing veterinary services is a quick-fix, shortsighted solution that will hurt animals and could cost the State more in the long run. If you live in California, please visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center to send a letter to Governor Schwarzenegger asking him to delete the veterinary tax provision from his budget proposal.
Don’t live in California but know someone who does? Please forward this information to them.
I'm sorry to say it looks like our governor is making some bad decisions lately. I can't help but feel the economic crunch anyway - government is borrowing from our soon-to-be non-existent social security funds, and the state is borrowing from our retirement funds, and it doesn't look like either one is paying back any time soon. I am already wondering what I will do when I get to retire in about four years, and now they hit us with this, too! Sounds like this Californian will be emailing all state officials from whom I get emails, and adding the governator to my list of email recipients.
Since I live in Oklahoma I figure I can't help by mailing to California but did not know if any one lived there and had heard about it. If it were to pass in California all the states would jump on the band wagon anything to raise taxes every where. Plus government or states are very sneaky about tacking on something like this to something good the people may pass IF they get to vote for it. The people have no idea it has been tacked on until its too late to stop it then one state after another would do it too. Then out poor puppers might get less care at the vets. I'm scared one day only the rich will be able to afford pets the poor and medium income people need their pets in this day and age then the seniors really need their fur kids sometimes that is all they have.Ok will get off my soap box now.
The goverment had no right to stick their paws in to our Social Security Fund they should have had laws in place if they Barrowed from the fund they had to pay it back that same year.